


antagonistic hero

by vivixn



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Canon Compliant, Character Study, Hurt, M/M, One Shot, Romance, Sexual Content, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-07-29 11:05:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16262909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vivixn/pseuds/vivixn
Summary: Goro was a hero, a conqueror of all evil for the public.To become a hero, it was necessary for him to overcome all obstacles, even if that involved killing his enemies to save society from the corrupted. If he wanted to prevail in keeping everyone secure from danger, those were the necessary steps to becoming a knight of justice for the civilians.Even if that meant erasing Akira’s existence from the face of the planet.





	antagonistic hero

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a very self-indulgent story for me which would be mostly surrounded on me analyzing certain character traits of Akechi and maybe a 'short' porn scene. BUT the porn grew out of hand so idk anymore which i dedicated my time more into. 
> 
> Enjoy your akeshu with porn then! also, the summary is bad because i have no idea how to summarize this whole mess and i suck at tags LOL

When Goro was a young chubby-faced child, he lived in a small apartment that was on the verge of deteriorating with his mother. He was only eight years old at the time of his mother’s death but despite her passing being so long ago, he still had clear memories of his mother.

They often played games together when he was a small boy. Goro was often the valiant knight while his mother was the damsel in distress and his worn-down stuffed animal was the villainous dragon blocking his path from his princess.

After Goro would chuck the “dragon” aggressively against the wall, he would wrap his small arms around his mother and declare that he had saved her. Every time he had done so, she would just giggle at him affectionately and hug him back, her warmth enveloping his small body.

“I wished heroes truly existed,” his mother had murmured one day, sounding solemn as she let out a soft sigh. His mother had looked crestfallen and the heartbroken frown on her face had deeply unsettled Goro.

He had wanted his mother to smile.

So naively, Goro had puffed out his chest confidently and exclaimed eagerly, “I can be your hero! When I grow up, I want to save people, just like I saved you from the evil dragon!”

It was laughable, really. But it had done the trick and his mother must’ve thought it was adorable because she had laughed at him fondly as she ruffled his hair. She never said it was impossible for him to be a hero, just that she believed he would be able to become one someday.

Despite her uplifting demeanor towards him, there was a crack of sadness to her delighted expressions. The slip-ups in her joyful façade as she tended to his needs should’ve indicated to him that something was wrong.

So, it shouldn’t have been a surprise when he had found his mother on the kitchen floor, blood pooled around her cold, frail body. When he had touched her hand, desperate for a response, he should’ve had expected the frigidness of her skin, especially after pretending for so long not to notice her despair.

He wasn’t strong enough to be his mother’s hero but from then on, Goro would become society’s hero.

 

 

 

In another life, Goro could almost imagine himself right by Akira’s side, caressing the swell of Akira’s cheek lovingly. It might’ve been possible to hold hands or share kisses with Akira or maybe Goro would’ve confessed to Akira.

However, in this life, his hatred for Shido ran much deeper than his fondness for the dark-haired boy. His desire to crush Shido like the pest he is was much stronger than his desire to whisper words of love to Akira. Goro wanted to see the horror on his father’s face as he tore down his barriers and executed him.

That desire was _much_ stronger than his need to find himself by Akira’s side.

At least, that’s what Goro liked to tell himself.

Goro didn’t want to admit it but his connection with Akira was way more profound than he had expected, more so than most of the people currently in his life. He often found his head to be filled with thoughts of the Shujin student.

There was _something_ about Akira that made Goro want to grasp him by his shirt, tug him close and relish in his warmth. He wanted to slide his hands up Akira’s waist, squeeze tightly to the point where his nails broke the skin, and lean in to kiss him eagerly.

But he couldn’t.

Not when his revenge against Shido mattered much more to him than some bothersome crush, not when they were both opponents, and not when he had to eradicate the leader of the Phantom Thieves for his own goals.

Even though there was an aspect in Akira’s personality that made Goro feel emotions he hadn’t felt in such a long time, such as the fondness in his heart whenever he spent time with Akira, his vengeance mattered much more. Avenging his mother was much more important to him than some kid he had met.

He had become a detective, a hero of society, just like he had told his mother he was going to be when he grew up.

In every story, there was a hero, as well as a villain. In this story, Goro was the protagonist while Akira was just some minor contender standing in his way of defeating Shido, the main antagonist. Goro needed to kill Shido to fulfill his purpose in his narrative.

To do so, Goro couldn’t let some fool like Akira steal the spotlight from him. 

So, regardless of what his inner self desired, whether it was the attention or love of a troublesome delinquent, there was no reason for a hero such as himself to be involved in the business of Kurusu Akira.

 

 

 

It was almost too easy for Goro to blackmail the Phantom Thieves and convince them to undergo Sae’s palace.

After a long day of tearing through Sae’s palace, they had finally managed to secure the treasure and left the palace for the day. That particular night, they had proposed how to construct the calling card, before deciding who was going to send it to Sae.  

Once they delivered the calling card the next day, they had held a brief meeting at Leblanc in the evening on their plan for stealing the treasure. When they had finished devising their scheme, the other members slowly left one by one. Then, it wasn’t too long before Sojiro had closed the shop, taking Futaba and Morgana with him.

Akira didn’t question why Goro had decided to stick around. Instead, almost instinctively, the shaggy-haired teen began to brew coffee for Goro, who couldn’t help but feel _almost_ touched by the gesture. Coffee was just what he needed at the moment after a long, draining day.

How was it that Akira knew him better than most people?

“Tomorrow, we’ll be taking Sae’s treasure. I hope you’re ready,” Akira said in a soft voice, as he placed a cup of coffee in front of the young detective. Goro grasped the ceramic cup with both hands, squeezing it tightly as he reveled in the burn of the heat circulating into his palms.

Goro stayed silent, staring down at the steaming cup of beige coffee with vacant eyes. Almost mindlessly, he lifted the mug up and inhaled the luscious drink. He downed it like it was the last beverage he was going to savor in a long time.

In a way, it _was_ his last sip of a delightful cup of coffee. After all, Akira would no longer be making the beverage for him after tonight. Goro was going to appreciate every drop of Akira’s handmade coffee for as long as he could.

Tomorrow, Akira was going to be in the custody of the police. When that happens, Goro was going to launch that bullet between Akira’s eyes with absolute pleasure since that meant being one step closer to his goal.

Yet, the thought of doing so had his stomach rolling in revulsion.

With a solemn frown, Goro dropped the ceramic cup onto the counter, the noise clanking loudly against the wooden counter. From the corner of his eye, Goro could sense Akira darting his eyes over to him inquisitively.

“Tomorrow, huh?” Goro whispered, as he slowly shifted his eyes up to Akira, who was leaning closer to him than he had originally thought with both his arms placed over the wooden counter. Their faces were only a mere few inches away and Goro flushed at the close proximity, as he shifted his gaze down to his hands. “I have to admit, I’m feeling a bit apprehensive about the whole idea, but I suppose, this is for the best.”

The words spilling from his lips flowed out as easily as always but the truth was scrambled around. Goro wasn’t feeling “apprehensive” of stealing Sae’s heart. No, that was the last thought on his mind. He was weaving the truth the way he wanted _his_ truth to be.

Yes, he was troubled but not for the reason Akira must’ve assumed it to be.

Goro thought he had already conquered all his doubts and concerns about killing Akira. But staring into Akira’s inquiring face had stirred up certain feelings that he was sure he had discarded.

He was the one who had suggested murdering Akira to Shido. Akira’s death was a necessary step into gaining Shido’s trust. If he wanted his plan to work, he _needed_ to obtain the faith of his father and once Shido’s fame was at its peak, Goro was going to _crush_ him.

That meant his plan to kill Akira was for the best and when Goro shoots a bullet between Akira’s eyes, that would be for the best as well.

At least that is what he’s been trying to convince himself.

After Goro had spoken his words, Akira had tilted his head curiously, gray eyes boring intensely into Goro’s own, almost as if he was reaching into the depths of Goro’s mind and inspecting every thought racing through his head. The sharp gleam in Akira’s eyes, burning with intensity and awareness, caused Goro to tighten his cup in a fit of uneasiness.

It was almost as if Akira was reading into his soul.

Goro didn’t want that. He didn’t want the deep and ugly parts of him to be exposed, not out in the open where Akira could judge it. If he wasn’t under his charismatic, civil self, nobody would care for him. Akira wouldn’t accept him if he showed a chunk of his crude personality.

With a sigh, Akira pushed himself off the counter, distancing himself away from Goro. Then, he walked around the counter, before plopping himself down on a chair next to Goro. As Akira twisted himself towards Goro, their knees bumped against each other, causing Goro to twitch self-consciously.

They were so _close_ to each other.

With their near proximity, Goro could either pull Akira close and smother his face with light, gentle kisses or grasp Akira by the throat and squeeze firmly until not another breath escaped him.

As his conflicting feelings clashed with one another, Goro opted for the safest action and kept his hands to his lap, clenching them tightly into fists. Akira darted his eyes to Goro’s hands and stared blatantly, showing no reaction as to his inner conflict. Goro cursed himself for displaying such a pathetic sign of weakness.

“This must be different from what you’re normally used to,” Akira said, diverting Goro’s attention entirely on him. “Being a member of the Phantom Thieves must be a far cry from your detective work.”

“It quite is,” Goro said, laughing sheepishly. “I’m used to resorting to more noble tactics to fighting crime.”

“Like what?” Akira hummed in interest, his ashen eyes focused entirely on Goro. “What do you do in your daily life as a detective?”

“Conduct interviews.” Worm his way through into becoming one of Shido’s trusted allies. “Collect facts and evidence for criminal cases.” Kill under Shido’s orders. “Observe suspicious activities of suspects.” Turn shadows berserk to cause real world incidents. “Partake in arrests and raids.” Solve the cases he himself had caused. “And solve cases.” And gain the support of his fans as a charismatic detective.

As Goro listed off the necessary duties of a detective, his mind had trailed to the unorthodox means to how he _actually_ solved cases. If the public learned his ways, they’d be quick to shun him, and his image would be ruined.

He wondered how Akira would react if he were to tell him the truth. Would his face twist into horror as he described in excruciating details of the murders he had committed under Shido or would disappointment paint his features as he called the cops on Goro?

There were a countless of ways Akira could react and it was rather discouraging that Goro couldn’t predict Akira’s reaction, especially with his skills as a detective.

“That’s what it means to be a detective,” Goro declared with a pleasant smile drawn on his face. Once he had finished prattling, it irked Goro when there wasn’t an immediate response from Akira.

Instead, the café was silent for a few, awkward seconds and once again, Akira bumped his knees against his, causing Goro to stiffen as he stared back hesitantly at Akira’s features, not certain if he overplayed it.

However, the expression on Akira’s face quickly soothed Goro’s worries. Akira was smiling, dark eyes gleaming in mirth.

“Very impressive,” Akira stated with a laugh, his lips quirked upwards in amusement. “You’re quite the hero of society, aren’t you?”

Goro’s eyes widened in surprise, shocked to hear those particular words flow out of Akira’s mouth. Those words were coming out of Kurusu Akira, the leader of the Phantom Thieves, whose ethnics were so vastly different from Goro’s. Somehow, Goro couldn’t help but feel pleased with himself.

That’s correct.

Goro was a hero, a conqueror of all evil for the public.

To become a hero, it was necessary for him to overcome all obstacles, even if that involved killing his enemies to save society from the corrupted. If he wanted to prevail in keeping everyone secure from danger, those were the necessary steps to becoming a knight of justice for the civilians.

Even if that meant erasing Akira’s existence from the face of the planet.

“You must think it’s funny,” Goro chuckled, as he smiled uncertainly at Akira. “For me to be so hesitant about this whole ordeal.”

In response, Akira shook his head, as his eyes softened with understanding. The compassionate expression on the other’s face caused Goro to swallow nervously, as his stomach swarmed with butterflies. He was unused to the feeling of his heart throbbing so rapidly.

How was it that such a simple look could turn Goro into a lovesick fool? It seemed as if the only person in his life so far that could have such an effect on him was Akira.

He only hoped Akira didn’t see how feverish Goro’s cheeks felt.

“I have a confession to make,” Goro suddenly whispered, almost cursing himself for blurting the words out. He shuffled uncomfortably in his seat, wishing to jump out of his seat and leave the café. However, Goro already had Akira’s undivided attention.   

Goro’s face felt a hundred times more flushed than it was before. It was definitely emitting more heat than before.

“What is it?” Akira questioned softly, his cheeks now adorning a rosy hue. It didn’t take a genius for anyone to understand what Goro was trying to say, especially when the detective’s voice had adopted a bashful tone and his body was burning up from the embarrassment of it all.

He wasn’t used to unveiling any pieces of his authentic self, especially not emotions such as affection or dare he say, love.

“I’m feeling a bit scared for tomorrow,” Goro blurted out instead. “Changing someone’s heart sounds riskier than what I’m used to as a detective.”

Disappointment coursed through his veins. Those weren’t the words he had wanted to say. It would’ve been simple for him to blurt out, ‘I like you.’ This was his _last night_  to be with Akira and he couldn’t even act like a normal human being.

Goro couldn’t even confess his strong yearning for the wavy-haired teen the night before he planned to murder him.

How utterly disappointing of him.

Thankfully, Akira took pity on him, humoring Goro as he responded to the “confession.”

“To be fair with you, I’m slightly nervous too. I don’t think I could ever grow used to changing people’s hearts, even though it’s happened so many times now,” Akira said softly, sincere in his words. “But having my teammates to back me up gives me all the confidence I need to push forward.”

Their knees knocked against each other again but this time, Akira didn’t move his knees away from Goro. He locked eyes with Goro, holding his gaze in a mesmerizing manner with his intense dark eyes, smiling kindly at the detective.

“And having you by my side means a lot to me too,” Akira whispered warmly. The words were so delicately spoken that Goro had a hard time believing Akira had uttered it at all.

After convincing himself that he didn’t formed some sort of deception, Goro swallowed heavily, as his chest panged sharply. He almost didn’t recognize the overwhelming feeling thrumming through his body that was so long forgotten; the peculiar emotion that was reminiscent of a time where Goro was loved dearly by his mother.

It had been such a long time since he felt such affection towards a person and vice versa.

Goro found himself longing for more of Akira’s kindness so he could continue experiencing the warmth that was enveloping his cold, broken body like a security blanket.

“You said so earlier but I’ve always seen myself as a hero of society,” Goro said, laughing softly to conceal his embarrassment. He wasn’t used to the overwhelming intensity of his emotions and it was making him lose his control over his perfectly constructed guise.

His mentality was starting to spiral out of his careful control and it was worse with Akira directing his generosity towards Goro, who craved for such emotions after being deprived from them for so long. He needed to take command of himself and calm down.

“It relieves me vastly whenever I put a criminal behind the bars because that means I’m doing my role as a detective. However, when I look at you and your teammates. It often makes me wonder if I’m enough for the community.”

Once the Thieves’ popularity had started to skyrocket, his reputation had begun to plummet. Even though he was prepared for the response of the community, especially since it was originally planned for the Phantom Thieves to be accepted by the public, it still dampened his spirits to see animosity being directed towards him.

With how easily his fans had dismissed him once the Phantom Thieves were the favored trend, Goro had to wonder if there would be anyone to even remember him once he was gone?

“The public was enamored to you all before Okumura’s incident. I often question myself if it’s because you’re a fresh breath of air compared to the traditional customs of the police,” Goro said quietly.

“We’re both heroes fighting for fairness in one way or another,” Akira said with conviction. “The Phantom Thieves’ methods may be questionable, but our motives are pure, and you’re doing justice for the public as well. We’re not that far apart than you’d like to think.”

Except Goro wasn’t the same as the Phantom Thieves.

After spending time with everyone in the group, Goro had to grudgingly admit his motives weren’t as honest as everyone else’s. They all had an inferno scorching inside of them, an intense drive, that was actively seeking for a change in society. 

Instead of a raging fire inside Goro’s chest, a frigid chill had been settling inside his heart from the day his mother had died, slowly tainting his entire body and darkening his outlook on the world.

He saw the world as bleak and hopeless, nothing similar to the Thieves’ optimistic wish of a better society. The only force pushing Goro forward was his desire for vengeance against the man who had ended his mother’s life and his longing for acceptance in the world.

When he was younger, his urgency to become a hero was nothing more than him desperately clinging to his past. He was only latching onto the warm hugs and admiring words his mother uttered once he had saved her from the ‘evil beast.’

Justice was his only way gaining approval from the public; the same way his mother accepted him whenever he had prevailed against evil and saved her. Being passed as an orphan around the foster care system had dampened his spirits on a better world but despite so, Goro _still_ wanted to become a hero.

If Goro was a hero, everyone would want him around. They would _need_ him to be around to fight against crimes. To be needed was more than Goro could ask for. Even if his motives weren’t as honest, even if he only wanted the attention that came along to being a detective, he was still doing his role.

There was no need for two heroes, not when Goro could be the center of the spotlight. Akira wasn’t someone Goro would consider a hero, not when he was fighting against the authority.

Regardless, Akira still had the support of his friends and people he could consider family. The delinquent was also genuine in his desire to change the world, more so than Goro, who was far more superior than some criminal who lived in the attic of a café.

Goro couldn’t deny the jealousy that was coursing through his veins at the thought.

How was it that Akira was _nothing_ but still had everything Goro hoped to have?

All Goro had was the support of people who didn’t know him for who he truly was. Even Akira, who was so familiar to him in ways he couldn’t exactly identify, didn’t fully understand him as a person.

“The both of us heroes… Is that so?” Goro asked with a stiff smile, clenching his jaw to prevent the sneer from appearing on his face.

There could only be one hero in the story.

But despite his denial over Akira’s claim, there was a lingering doubt in his mind. A soft voice in the back of his mind, one that was almost inaudible, that wondered if there was some truth to his words. If there really could be more than one hero.

How was it that Akira always managed to stir up doubt in Goro?

“It pains me to admit but…” Goro paused contemplatively, staring at Akira with a thoughtful look. “My conviction always seems to be wavering whenever I’m with you, more so than I’d like to believe. I find myself hesitating a lot more these days.”

Goro was slightly startled when Akira gently placed his warm hand on top of Goro’s own, entwining their hands together over the wooden counter. Hesitantly, Goro squeezed back lightly, face burning as he did so.

“Is that good or bad?” Akira whispered, head slanted as he stared curiously at Goro, seeking for answers with his probing gaze.

“I’m not certain,” Goro answered truthfully.

Akira only hummed in response, regarding Goro with a curious gaze. With how Akira had squeezed his hand, Goro was certain the teen was trying to pursue him in some sort of way. It was often difficult to fathom what his conflicting emotions were trying to tell him sometimes but right now, it was telling him to take his chances.

Despite the scorn and disdain he felt over the delinquent, Goro still felt a need to be near Akira.

“Can I touch you?” Goro asked faintly, almost desperate to feel the warmth of Akira’s skin under his fingertips. Akira nodded silently, as he continued to scrutinize Goro with his inquiring, gray eyes.

Goro gently placed a hand on Akira’s cheek, the skin soft and thrumming with heat. He doesn’t exactly know what to do next, but he was somewhat content with simply feeling the smooth texture of Akira’s face. Brushing his thumb slowly over the cheek, Goro stared into Akira’s eyes, enthralled by the teen’s pleased look.

Then, before Goro realized it, he was leaning in and taking Akira by surprise with a brief kiss. The moment was swift and Goro was quickly moving back, both his hands away and clenched into fists by his knees. He coughed into his arm awkwardly, embarrassed of himself for the impulsive move.

“Uh, I apo-” Goro started nervously, before stopping abruptly with his words. With a frown spreading on his face, he narrowed his eyes at the adolescent in front of him.

There was an infuriating smirk on Akira’s face, gray eyes gleaming with amusement at the hesitance Goro was displaying. The jester’s vain grin widened when Goro frowned, as if daring him to continue with their intimacy, causing Goro to twitch in annoyance, provoked by the cocky expression.

That _aggravating_ shit.

So, with an indignant huff, Goro seized the back of Akira’s head, clenching the wavy hair _tightly_ and smashed their lips together, holding him in place for a couple more seconds that lasted longer than the previous kiss.

Soon, Goro pulled back, staring back at Akira haughtily, proud of himself for acting against the smug teen. However, Akira’s reaction was worse this time around. If he thought the smirk on his face was huge before, it was even bigger now.

Akira snorted, the sound of it ugly, before doubling over with his form quaking with giggles, mirth adorning his voice. It was irritating to be on the receiving end of a laugh, but the way Akira’s face twisted in humor, voice hitching up in laughter, was simply too adorable for him to hate.

Although, Goro was never going to admit that out loud to Akira’s bothersome face.

“Wow, I didn’t expect you to do that,” Akira said, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye, causing Goro to scoff at the foolishness of it.

“Well, I’m sure you don’t know me that well,” Goro muttered, cheeks ablaze in humiliation. He regretted allowing Akira to provoke him. In response to Goro, the wavy-haired teen’s eyes glimmered in delight, his smile wide and bright.

“Let’s go upstairs,” Akira suggested with a joyous laugh.

Akira reached for his hand, grasping it tight, and made his way up the stairs. Goro followed along, heart beating rapidly in anticipation. He had been in the attic a few times so that the Phantom Thieves could hold their meetings before exploring Sae’s palace or Mementos, but he was never up there alone with Akira.

Once they arrived at the bed in the attic after removing their shoes, Akira plopped down to lay on the mattress, tugging firmly at his wrist, causing Goro to come crashing down on top of the teen. Their faces were only a few mere inches away from each other with Goro’s arms to the sides of Akira’s head.

“Uh, apologies,” Goro squeaked out, flustered once again. He wasn’t used to being so close to someone to the point he felt their breathing on his face.

“Why’re you apologizing?” Akira laughed in amusement. “I’m the one who pulled you.”

“Well, I-”

Akira didn’t grant Goro another second to finish his words. Instead, he gripped at Goro’s peacoat and yanked hard, causing their lips to crash into each other messily. From the moment they locked lips, it was intense.

“Ah,” Goro gasped, leaning back to breathe for air. He was only given a split second to do so before Akira was kissing him again and there was no chance for him to utter another sound. Akira’s soft lips pressed against his, urging for Goro to respond.

The two kissed, neither one of them necessarily taking the lead, as they didn’t go further than sealing their lips against each other ardently. However, when Akira nibbled the bottom of Goro’s lips teasingly, staring up with a playful gleam to his eyes. Goro snapped into action and drove his tongue into Akira’s mouth, seeking the wet warmth, causing Akira to spew out an aroused groan.

Passionate. Eager. _Ferocious._

The kiss was everything Goro wished for and more.

Then, Akira was unbuttoning Goro’s peacoat, causing the detective to pause and pull back. He stared down at the tousled teen beneath him, his own cheeks crimson in arousal and uncertainty. Akira stopped in his tracks at Goro’s hesitancy, staring up at him tentatively.

“U-uh,” Goro mumbled, suddenly embarrassed about his lack of experience.

Since Akira was already unbuttoning the detective’s coat, should Goro start unfastening the red buttons of the Shujin blazer? Should he be doing something more than just kissing Akira? Were the two of them going too fast?

His body had begun to stiffen as he realized he had no clue on what to execute next. It was humiliating, not knowing what to do, especially since Goro considered himself as a person who was constantly prepared.

Except he hadn’t anticipated on copulating with the leader of the Phantom Thieves today.

Almost as if he had glanced over his running thoughts, Akira questioned him, “You’ve never done this before?”

The embarrassed splutter that spilled out of Goro’s lips answered for him. He wasn’t expecting for Akira to call him out like that. It was mortifying to be encountered with his own inexperience.

“It’s okay,” the teen said reassuringly, as he reached up to Goro’s peacoat and started unbuttoning the rest of it. With a bashful smile, Akira admitted quietly, “I’m not really experienced myself.”

“You haven’t done this before?” Goro asked, his words flowing out of him slowly. He frowned down at Akira, simply unbelieving, doubtful that was the case.

“Of course not,” Akira laughed, face red, startled by Goro’s question. “Do I look like I’m filled with experience?”

If Goro had answered, he would’ve said yes. With the certainty Akira was placing into his kisses, along with his bold attitude, Goro was almost positive the teen had done all this before. Even earlier, when they were kissing, it had felt like Akira was teasing him for not knowing what to do.

“Well, you certainly act like you’ve done this before,” Goro answered, as he followed Akira’s lead. He slowly popped open the buttons to Akira’s blazer, while Akira pulled off his peacoat. Once Goro finished unbuttoning, he began removing Akira’s coat as well.

“I’m glad to hear so,” Akira grinned, as he leaned his torso forward for Goro to take off the blazer completely and throw it to the ground, where his peacoat was laying.

Goro leaned in close to Akira’s neck, nosing at the nape, and simply breathed in his scent. It was a familiar odor, one that was faint and pleasant. Akira’s fragrance reminded Goro of the scent of coffee and honey. The smell was simply intoxicating, coaxing him to pour down a number of pecks against the skin.

Placing a gentle kiss on Akira’s nape, Goro sucked on the skin, as he nipped on the spot gently. He did this a number of times, urged by the soft, pleased moans Akira was releasing, before he was truly satisfied with the time he spent doting on the spot.

When he finally leaned back, Goro inspected the purple bruises adorning his pale neck, satisfied with the amount of marks on Akira. Then, he shifted his gaze towards Akira, who was laying on the bed with his face flushed and glasses lying crooked.

With a soft hum, Goro reached towards the delinquent’s face and seized the glasses before settling them down besides the bed.

“I want to see you better,” Goro murmured, studying the Akira’s face, who was staring back at him with desire and amusement. The detective wanted to look deeper into Akira, not just the teen's surface. He wanted to inspect all of the leader's running thoughts and delve himself deeper into the mindset of Kurusu Akira.

Goro wanted to learn what it was about Akira that made him fall head over heels for the convict.

A cool touch to Goro’s hands startled him, causing him to stare inquisitively at Akira, who was guiding Goro’s hands to his stomach.

“If you want to look at me more, then why don’t you help me remove this?” Akira murmured keenly, a teasing smirk on his face, as he led Goro’s palms near the bottom of his shirt. Grasping the hint, Goro began hoisting off the Shujin student’s white turtleneck and tossed it to the ground, while Akira tugged off the black suspenders away from his shoulders.

Once Akira’s torso was bare, the dark-haired teen tugged on Goro’s tie, prompting the detective to be pulled closer to Akira with their faces nearly touching each other. Huffing a faint laugh that brushed gently against Goro’s face, Akira began untying the detective's tie and tossed it onto the pile on the floor, before removing the detective’s shirt and gloves as well.

With both their shirts gone, Akira began sliding his hands over the sides of Goro’s hips, spurring Goro to close the distance between them and kiss Akira once again. They locked lips tenderly this time and the kiss didn’t last longer than thirty seconds before they were parting ways, as Akira’s hands neared the zipper of his black slacks.

“Can I?” Akira murmured, his hand teasing near his groin.

With a nod of his head, along with the accelerated tempo of his heartbeat, Goro allowed Akira to pull down his trousers, along with his undergarments, leaving the detective stark-naked. Uncertain if he should have been mimicking Akira’s actions, Goro hesitantly placed his palms on Akira’s hips, his cheeks crimson at the thought of removing _all_ of Akira’s clothes.

Goro couldn’t believe this was happening.

It felt too real all of a sudden.

“Are you going to take them off or should I do it myself?” Akira laughed, as his hands brushed over Goro’s hands before moving down to his own plaid trousers and unzipping it. Then, Akira was taking off both his pants and underwear, tossing them besides the bed.

Goro locked his gaze onto Akira’s gray eyes, whose stare was filled with amusement and mirth, revealing the delinquent’s delight over Goro’s bashfulness. The detective didn’t dare look lower, already too embarrassed by the current situation.

It felt like they had been staring at each other for decades but Goro was almost too mortified to speak and Akira appeared to be enjoying the situation a bit too much to pull the next move.

“I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t really know what to do next,” Goro finally admitted, feeling abashed with himself at his lack of knowledge. It wasn’t like Goro had the desire to seek out such erotic knowledge. Goro often heard his older coworkers speak about their hookups but he was always secluded from the conversations because he was an adolescent.

He also never yearned to learn much detail on sex, considering he didn’t exactly understand how it felt to pine over someone until he met Akira, who appealed to him in so many ways.

In response to Goro’s confession, Akira snorted in laugher, eyes crinkling with merriment.

“It’s fine, like I said earlier, I’m really not sure myself,” Akira declared, as he moved into a sitting position. Placing a hand over Goro’s knuckles, Akira smiled at him assuredly. “We can figure it out together. There’s no rush.”

Swallowing nervously, Goro glanced away from Akira’s kind expression, feeling his face heat up, as he rummaged through his head on the next course of action.

“Then, I’m certain that we’re going to need some things to prepare for what’s next,” Goro muttered, finding it difficult to vocalize words.

He wasn’t entirely oblivious when it came to this sort of stuff. He completely understood that it was necessary to have certain supplies, so a bout of intercourse could run a lot smoother.

“Do you have anything?” Goro asked, glancing around the attic. There didn’t seem to be much stored around the room, besides a few personal possessions. After a brief glimpse around, Goro began listing stuff he heard from his peers, coworkers, and other sources. “Like lube? Or condoms?”

“Not really, but I have lotion,” Akira claimed, before leaning over his bed and reaching for a bottle of lotion underneath, causing Goro to blink in surprise.

“I guess that works…” Goro stated hesitantly, as he slowly took the lotion from Akira, before freezing in his spot. He stared uncertainly at Akira, uncertainty brimming in his auburn eyes. “Wait a minute…”

He wasn’t certain who was going to be on the receiving end since they haven’t discussed anything of the sort. Goro felt ludicrous for worrying about such a silly topic. Normally, from what he assumed, people usually tumbled into bed and everything ran smoothly without a single objection but here he was, making everything awkward and uncoordinated.

Staring at Akira with worry, Goro stiffly asked, “Who’s… giving _it_ to who?”

With concern overriding Goro’s mind and expression, Akira brought up a hand and laughed out loud again into his palm, trying to stifle the amused giggles pouring out of him. Goro furrowed his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes in mild frustration.

This wasn’t a matter that should be laughed about.

“It doesn’t matter to me, whatever you prefer,” Akira finally said, before purring with a flirtatious wink, causing Goro to swallow weakly. “I’m a _very_ flexible person.”

Goro already knew that he wasn’t comfortable with situating himself in a vulnerable position, especially not in front of someone he was planning to betray later. In the past hour, it had already felt as if Goro displayed more authenticity to Akira than he ever conveyed to anyone in his life.

He didn’t feel the need to expose himself more to Akira.

“Then… I guess I’ll, um, be the one to….” Goro trailed off, finding it difficult to articulate a comprehendible sentence. Never before had it been so complicated for him to form sentences, mainly because he considered himself skilled in the art of speaking.

Instead of trying to form more indecipherable words, Goro looked down at the lotion in his hand, briefly reading the words on the label. Then, he popped open the lid and slathered his fingers in the cream, making sure his hand was covered excessively with the product.

Then, he peered at Akira, who had laid back down on the bed, staring up at him with a heated manner. The desire casted upon Akira’s face caused a fusion of fervor and jitters to boil in the deep pit of his stomach. He halted still, almost afraid to look further down Akira’s body and move further along.

“You need some help there?” Akira whispered, tilting his head at him curiously, prompting Goro to shake his head, even though his body was telling him otherwise. There was a frenzy of butterflies swarming around. Goro almost felt like he was going to pass out from the anxiety of it all.

He had never done anything close to this before and it was bewildering to believe Akira had the same level of inexperience as him, considering the fact the gray-eyed teen seemed to be acting a lot more natural than Goro was.

Goro wasn’t used to being affectionate with someone. He’d never been so close to a person, other than his mother, but even then, he wasn’t _this_ close to her.

Kurusu Akira was the first person he had ever wanted to be intimate with.

“I’ve got it,” Goro mumbled, as he shifted from his sitting position into leaning his body over Akira’s, bracing himself to begin preparing Akira.

There was a quick hum of apprehension from Akira, before the raven-haired teen was pulling him close and embracing him into an awkward hug. Then, there was a grip on his wrist that tugged Goro’s hand towards Akira’s behind, before the hold disappeared.

Feeling his face flare up, Goro’s brushed a hand against Akira’s bottom, before tentatively prodding his index finger against Akira’s entrance. He pushed into the warm cavern gently, breathing sharply in relief when he heard Akira moan out in pleasure.

Goro spent several minutes rocking his finger into Akira and changed the angle a few times, evaluating every soft sigh of bliss and pleased groan that Akira exhaled out. Goro didn’t add more fingers, fearful of a pained reaction from the teen beneath him.

However, it wasn’t long before Akira became restless.

“You can add more, you know?” Akira murmured, knitting his eyebrows together in a perplexed look at Goro, appearing anxious for more close contact.

“I… I just don’t want to hurt you,” Goro said uncertainly. Unbeknownst to Akira, Goro was going to commence a whole world of pain tomorrow. So just this once, he wanted to treat someone with the same amount of gentleness that he was receiving in return.

At Goro’s honest response, Akira’s face shifted into a look of surprise, his mouth open. There was a fleeting flash of distrust presented on the other teen’s face before it vanished away quickly.

Goro shook his head in dismissal at the look, convincing himself he must’ve imagined it. There was no reason for Akira to suspect him, not when he had been vigilant with his every move.

“You don’t have to worry about hurting me. I can handle it,” Akira whispered, smiling softly, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. The look unsettled Goro, who wanted to reassure Akira that he wouldn’t dare harm him.

But the words refused to come out.

So instead, Goro complied with Akira’s wishes and inserted another slick finger, slowly rocking his hand deeper, before gradually easing into a rhythm. There was a breathy sigh from Akira, as Goro continued thrusting his wet fingers into Akira’s warm hole, feeling arousal bury itself deep into his stomach.

Once he added a third finger, the pace of his rhythm started to quicken, along with the number of pleased cries rolling out of Akira, whose face had grown more scarlet than it had ever been previously.

It wasn’t long before Goro had all four of his digits lubed with an excessive amount of lotion thrusting into Akira, striking a bundle of nerves that lead to Akira’s moans reaching a higher pitch of tone. Then, Goro removed all of his fingers, content with the loosened state of Akira’s lubricious hole.

“Well, are you prepared to put your hot dick inside me? I am all set for a good ass pounding session,” Akira purred heatedly, his words rather immodest and blunt, as his dusty gray eyes gleamed up at him suggestively.

“There’s no need to be so obscene,” Goro stated stiffly with a repulsed crinkle to his nose, peering oddly at Akira. Despite his obvious distaste for Akira’s bawdy declaration, there was a hint of color flushing across his cheeks.

“It’s called talking dirty. People do it all the time,” Akira chastised, before his features twisted into a devious grin. “Why don’t you take a crack at it?”

At Akira’s expectant stare, Goro blanched, crumpling up his face in a look of distaste. There was no absolute chance that he was going to utter such foul words in front of anyone. Just a single raunchy phrase from him would ruin his image quicker than it would take a book to fall from his height.

“No,” Goro stated brusquely, glowering disapprovingly at Akira’s mischievous smirk.

“Come on, just this once,” Akira said, eyes twinkling with amusement, sticking his lip out in an attempt of a sullen pout. “I won’t ever ask you to do it again.”

Goro’s disdainful expression dwindled away into a mild frown, peering down at Akira pensively.

From Akira’s words, it sounded as if the gray-eyed teen expected for them to do this more than once. The concept of spending many nights similar to this moment was a foreign thought to Goro.

He wasn’t naïve enough to believe that a night similar to this one was ever going to happen again, not when Akira was scheduled to perish tomorrow in the investigation room.

“Fine…” Goro yielded with an exasperated shake of the head, before awkwardly declaring words that he assumed were considered to be ‘dirty talk,’ hoping to satisfy Akira’s peculiar demands. “I expect you are primed for me because I’m about to plunge my saber _deep_ inside of you.”

God, it sounded a whole lot worse out loud and the amused grin spreading on Akira’s face wasn’t helping one bit. His whole entire face and body must have been as red as a tomato right now with how quickly his mortification was spreading throughout his entire form up to the very tips of his fingers.

Goro wondered if it was possible for him to take his weapon, his _actual_ saber – not the part of his body he was making crude references to, and cut out his vocal cords so he could never utter another embarrassing word again. Either that or reverse time because that was the most humiliating remark he’d ever declared in his entire life.

“That was bad,” Akira choked out, laughing with a fond smile. “Dirty talking doesn’t suit you.”

Goro grimaced, darting his eyes across the attic for a few seconds, flushing in chagrin as he mentally braced himself for what was coming next before reluctantly focusing back on Akira.

“Well, are you ready?”

“I’ve been ready.” Akira stated, before his soft smile widened and his voice lowered into a croon, sounding suggestive as he declared, “So, whenever you’re prepared, go ahead and put your ‘saber’ inside me,” prompting Goro to scowl at him.

For the first time that night, Goro reached down to his nether region to touch his cock, which had dwindled a bit since they had started talking. With a shaky breath, Goro stroked at it, shifting his entire attention to the other teen, his body feverish at the sight of Akira’s naked form laying beneath him.

Then, a soft touch to the side of his erection had Goro gasping in shock and arousal. He directed his startled, wide gaze to Akira, whose eyes were fixated on his member. Another stroke from Akira had Goro biting the inside of his cheek harshly, trying to restrain the desperate whine that was on the verge of slipping out of him.

When Akira started rubbing the tip of his cock slowly, a loud groan ended up spilling out of Goro. He leaned over Akira’s body, his arms to the sides of the adolescent's head and crammed his face against his nape, biting down on his creamy shoulder as the fondling continued.

Once Goro’s penis was straining and leaking from the tip, the caressing stopped. Goro leaned back with his eyes hooded in bliss, breathing heavily, as he looked down at Akira, who appeared to be as aroused as him with his gray eyes darkened with intensity and his skin flushed ablaze.

When Goro guided his erection to Akira’s hole, his whole body felt like it was thrumming from anticipation and fever. As he carefully pushed in, simultaneous moans emerged from the both of them.

He started with an unhurried tempo, simply focused on the sound of himself plunging in and out of Akira, fascinated with the wet noises of his hard cock burying deep inside that resounded into the humid air, along with the litany of pleased whimpers flowing from the figure beneath him.

The tight warmth surrounding his member had Goro briefly squeezing his eyes close in ecstasy and desiring to appease Akira as well, Goro lowered his hand away from the teen’s hip and gently held the stiff cock below him, reveling in the choked gasp that escaped Akira.

“More,” Akira sharply breathed out, his hands clenching the sheets beneath him tightly, looking disheveled for once in his life with his hair more messier than usual.

Not knowing whether Akira wanted him to quicken the strokes to his cock or speed up his thrusting, Goro decided to do both. He accelerated his pace, feeling as if he was ramming a tad bit too heavily into the hole, as he kneaded his hand up and down Akira’s dick, applying firm pressure to the head of the erection a few times.

“A-Akechi,” Akira grunted out, panting, his pretty eyes staring up at him beseechingly, as his body began to roll against Goro’s body in time with his thrusts while his member leaked onto his fist.

The name that Akira groaned out had Goro’s chest constricting in disappointment. He craved to hear his _actual_ name spill from those lips, instead of his surname. He wanted the same level of proximity that Akira had with his friend group where he would freely utter their names without the formal restriction that he applied to Goro.

“My name,” Goro pleaded, desperate to hear someone utter his name. It felt like ages since someone last said it. “Please, Akira, I want to hear my name.”

“Goro… Goro, ah!” Akira complied to Goro’s wishes with a yelp when the detective slammed into him from another angle.

He continued hammering at the sensitive spot that had Akira’s moans escalating into a higher frequency, stroking the other’s teen dick more frantically, coaxing another loud groan of his name from Akira as the friction against his cock began to feel a little too excessive to Goro.

The sound of his own name had Goro biting his lip roughly, feeling as if he was about to burst apart. He had never felt more overwhelmed with infatuation and yearning than at that particular moment.

He never wanted this night to end.

“I-I…” Goro spouted out with a sputter, feeling drunk on lust and affection as he struggled to voice his inner thoughts. After slowing his thrusts, Goro finally disclosed to Akira with a breathy tone, as he reached for the raven-haired teen’s hand with his unoccupied hand, “I really like you, Akira.”

There was a brief pause from Akira, who stared up at him with surprise in his eyes, startled silent. For a moment, Goro expected Akira to act as if he had never said a word with how quiet it was with the exception of the sound of the bed creaking from the force of Goro’s thrusts.

But then, Akira squeezed his grip on Goro’s hand assuredly, before finally whispering, “Goro, I like you too.”

It seemed like the right moment so Goro leaned down to place a gentle kiss upon Akira’s lips, moaning when the dark-haired teen grasped him by the shoulders and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss with a push of his tongue into Goro’s mouth.

Then, Goro was climaxing inside of Akira with a wanton moan, tightening his hold onto Akira to the point where his clutch was bruising, and his nails were digging firmly into the delicate, pale skin of Akira’s hand.

Goro’s mind blanked out, as a huge wave of euphoria that overcame him, causing him to collapse on top of the teen beneath him. Abstractedly, Goro rubbed Akira’s cock, barely registering the soft groan as warm fluid splattered on top of his hand and across their abdomens.

Hauling himself off of Akira, Goro pulled out of the disheveled teen and plopped himself besides the other's warm body, simply trying to catch his breath. There was a tight grip on his hand from Akira as the loud gasping in the attic diminished down to steady breathing once again.

Suddenly, it was almost as if a switch went off inside him that removed the radiant filter he was seeing. The bright, captivating daydream he was stuck in abruptly altered into a cold, harsh reality, reminding him of his actual circumstances. The warmth hitting his body was no longer as the cool air of the bleak attic struck him.

He had to remind himself that the person besides him was the leader of the Phantom Thieves, someone he should consider a hindrance to his plans. It was an idiotic idea for Goro to have had copulated with an enemy.

However, no matter how much his brain was telling him he was stupid, Goro didn’t know if he had it in him to regret what had happened between the two of them.

Goro abruptly sat back up and removed his hand from Akira’s warm hold, inhaling sharply as he looked down at the dark-haired teen’s face. There was a dazed, but content look on the other’s face, along with a genuine smile that made Goro’s chest ache profoundly.

“I’m sorry to say this just after we finished but I have to get going now. It’s rather late,” Goro said, somewhat disappointed at himself for ruining such an intimate, special moment between them.

It was as if Goro’s words were the signal to snap Akira back into reality; the blissful gleam in those intoxicating gray eyes suddenly dulled, as his whole demeanor turned sober.

“No, I understand. We have a very busy day ahead of us tomorrow,” Akira uttered quietly, his face expressionless. The warmth in his tone from earlier was no longer there. Instead, it was lukewarm at best, along with a razor-sharp look to his serious eyes. “You better rest up and prepare yourself. It’s going to be dangerous for the two of us the moment we step into Sae’s palace.”

Akira’s words almost sounded foreboding, with his hardened mannerism accentuating the premonition behind his words. It was times like this that Goro wondered if Akira truly knew his true intentions.

Choosing to disregard his suspicions, Goro smiled blandly, before removing himself off the narrow bed. He moved towards the pile of clothes on the floor with a displeased look. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right. It’s probably best if I leave.”

Goro furrowed his eyebrows together, as his mouth twisted into a frown. Bending down to the floor, he grasped his carelessly thrown clothes, which were likely to be wrinkled. He was grateful that his back was to Akira, otherwise the raven-haired student would’ve seen the flash of different expressions materializing on his face.

He reached for his black and white tie, as well as his black gloves, and used it to wipe off the wet mess on his hand and stomach. Then, he silently proceeded to put on his white shirt, black trousers, and shoes, before placing the soiled clothing articles into the back pocket of his pants.

Once Goro had placed on the last article of his clothing, his tan peacoat, he altered his grimacing face into a pleasant expression and turned around to Akira, who had somehow managed to put on a long-sleeved black shirt and olive-green pants in the short time Goro was placing on his clothes.

Akira was sitting on the edge of his bed, watching him with an acute stare, staying mute as Goro had dressed himself.

“Well, I must be going now,” Goro claimed, not able to stop the hint of glumness that exuded into his tone.

With a resentful furrow to his eyebrows, he silently cursed himself, aggravated that he couldn’t hide his profound longing for Akira, even after he had sworn to himself that all of his silly affections would end tonight.

Akira must’ve seen something in Goro’s expression because the hard mug on his face deteriorated into a softer expression, one that was akin to the warm looks he often conveyed to the detective – the ones that always had Goro’s heart tightening with fondness. He approached Goro with a growing tender smile.

“You can come back again any time,” Akira murmured, placing a gentle kiss on the tip of Goro’s nose, shocking him with the affectionate gesture. “After tomorrow, when Sae’s treasure is stolen and the Phantom Thieves are no more, come back.”

The invitation had Goro’s heart skipping a beat, as his breathing halted into a stop. With stunned eyes, he stared doubtfully at Akira, who stared back at him seriously, looking absolutely sincere with his declaration.

Akira wanted him to come back, even when he had essentially blackmailed the Phantom Thieves to retire after Sae’s palace? The thought of it was so nonsensical that Goro wanted to laugh in disbelief – or did he actually wanted to scream from the hysteria of it all?

Kurusu Akira was simply unbelievable. Their ‘leader’ was too nice for his own good and such kindness was most likely going to get the fool killed, especially if he was going to be so naïve when dealing with someone like Goro.

“So please, come back here another time,” Akira whispered, smiling at him.

However, despite the warm words, the smile on Akira’s face was full of melancholy, his veneer of geniality hiding his sorrow. The tone of Akira’s voice was echoing the misery pounding through Goro’s body at the thought of tomorrow.

Goro needed to remind himself that he received everything he needed from Akira. Goro had always wished to convey his feelings to Akira and he did just that tonight. He was supposed to walk away with no more emotions attached to Akira.

He should have had no regrets.

So then, why did he feel so bitter?

Goro had to remind himself that there wasn’t a future with Kurusu Akira, not when his ambitions held way more importance than a silly concept such as relationships. There _can’t_ be a happy ending with a delinquent who lived in an attic of a coffee shop like some convict.

Tearing apart Shido.

Retribution for his mother.

Acknowledgement from the public.

Justice for the world.

Those were the fundamental truths that Goro abided by in his life and it was all far more significant than a meager connection with Akira could ever be. He shouldn’t be contemplating about such an irrelevant notion such as love.

Just a glance at Akira’s face shouldn’t be causing such a strong reaction from him. There was _no_ need for bonds.

But then, just exactly why did the mournful expression on Akira’s face reminded him so much of his mother, who had sent him that same forlorn face that always had his stomach rolling in grief?

It was the same look she’d give him after he would save her from the villainous dragon in the game they often played. His mother often hid her heartache underneath a smile, just the same way Akira was doing so right now.

Concealing their pain behind a mask of benevolence.

Exhaling shakily, Goro took a step back, simply wanting to escape the stifling atmosphere of the attic.

“I’ll have to keep that in mind,” Goro said with a pained smile, pretending everything was fine the same way he had acted when he was younger when he feigned ignorance at his mother’s suffering.

Trying not to reflect further on the downcast frown on Akira’s face, Goro left the café without another word.

The coldness of the night enveloped Goro on his way home from Leblanc, darkness cloaking him more than he was accustomed to, almost as if the shadows were enthralled to his despair and hopelessness. 

Desolation had never felt more lonelier before today.

 

 

 

The next day, Goro’s plan goes accordingly without a hitch.

After defeating Sae’s shadow, the mass of police officers had shown up outside the casino. Then, just as Goro had hoped, Joker had volunteered to be the distraction while the others scattered off with Sae’s treasure.

There was not a single thing anyone in the Phantom Thieves could have done when their leader was ambushed by the police and taken into custody. As Akira was being handcuffed and lead away into a police car, Goro could only stand by Makoto’s side and place on a charade of worry.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen. Sure, the Phantom Thieves were to end after this mission…”

Goro had falsely stated as he watched the scene below him, his face twisted into an uneasy look, one that was dishonest. He clenched his jaw, tightening his hands into fists, as he shook his head in disbelief.

He knew he had to continue playing a farce for the Phantom Thieves, especially with Makoto standing next to him, watching his every movement. She was an analytical student and just as good at figuring out people like her sister, Sae, with only a simple glance at someone.

Goro couldn’t afford to slip up. He needed to integrate himself into the role of a trusted teammate.

“But I didn’t want it to end like this!” Goro continued, possibly sounding a bit too theatrical with the distress conveyed deeply in his voice.

From the corner of his eyes, he had sensed Makoto studying him with an acute gaze, despite her troubled expression aimed at the current situation. Goro could almost see the cogwheels in her brain revolving as she attempted to make sense of how this could’ve happened.

Too bad she wasn’t going to figure him out.

“This isn’t the justice I wanted,” Goro said sorrowfully. In his earpiece, he could hear the disheartened responses of Akira’s teammates.

Even though his words were all a pretense for the Phantom Thieves, the words resonated truth within him to some degree. Goro didn’t want everything to end like this, wished it so. But if he wanted to be any closer to Shido to execute his wrath, he needed to disregard any emotions of attachment to his teammates and their leader.

“Let’s go everyone. If we’re caught here, his courage will be in vain,” Makoto said, her features shifted into a determined look, her eyes conveying a tenacious will. As Makoto walked away, Goro narrowed his eyes, staring down at the scene below him thoughtfully. The police were beginning to disperse from the scene.

“Not yet.” Goro murmured, not certain if the words spilling from his lips were meant for the group or himself. “I won’t let it end here.”

Goro turned back, trailing behind Makoto, as the law enforcement’s chattering were only a mere buzzing in his ears. The only noise passing through his ears was the sound of his heart pounding rapidly, most likely from the anticipation of the next event he had been eagerly waiting for. It was a relief to see his plans had succeeded with their leader being captured.

Once he regrouped with the Phantom Thieves and guaranteed they won’t be a hindrance between Akira and him, as well as ensured that there wasn’t room for suspicion between them that he was the culprit behind the police’s presence in the Metaverse, Goro could advance further with his goal.

For now, it appeared as if they still faithful to the idea that he wasn’t the one that orchestrated their leader’s capture.

 

 

 

They ended up regrouping back at Café Leblanc, where the atmosphere was heavy with worry. There was concern on everyone’s faces and a hint of terror, as if their precious leader had already died. It almost felt as if they had all gathered together for a funeral with the dread they were all displaying.

As everyone immersed in their grief, Goro stood by the doorway. The feelings that were thrumming through his body were nothing like the misery, anger, or panic the group were conveying strongly.

Instead, he was hollow, an empty husk that had no capacity of perceiving the emotions that were flowing through him. Goro couldn’t feel a single thing, nor did he even _want_ to. Feeling would mean doubting and he couldn’t afford to hesitate now, not when he was so close to accomplishing what he set out to do.

He was on auto drive, merely acting what he had prepared to do. Dissociating himself from Akira was the best thing he could do. He couldn’t afford to perceive any sentiments about the raven-haired teen, not when he knew what to expect later on.

So, that meant not noticing any of his emotions was the best option for the detective.

“I used my connections to look into it. Akira is being held prisoner in an underground interrogation for serious crimes,” Goro said, as he placed a finger on his chin in a contemplative look.

His eyes scanned the whole café, analyzing the sorrow on each individual’s face. From the serious gleams in everyone’s eyes, he could almost expect the group to pull off some extravagant scheme to bail their leader out.

However, Goro couldn’t allow that to happen.

“I’ll say this… I’d refrain from doing anything reckless trying to help him,” Goro stated, his tone containing an underlining of warning. “I discovered a few things after investigating.”

To ensure that the group wouldn’t pull any sneaky tactics, Goro started listing reasons to drive them further off his trail. Once he seized everyone’s attention, Goro spoke of the ‘man in the black mask,’ telling them how the culprit had to have been under the instructions of someone in a higher command, as well as the reason they were busted in Sae’s palace.

It was unlikely that anyone would know that he was essentially speaking about himself which might’ve been a risky move, but his reasoning had to sound legitimate and the best way to do that was to speak of the truth in some form.

Before Goro could utter another word, the sound of someone snarling in fury and slamming their fist onto the counter reached his ears. With a speculative stare, Goro locked his eyes on Ryuji’s outraged form, observing calmly as Morgana advised the hot-headed teen to settle down.

“Go on,” Morgana claimed, his blue eyes focused on Goro’s form attentively.

“Metaverse aside, there’s a limit to what you guys can do in the real world. Do anything rash and it’ll just backfire,” Goro declared soberly, presenting a serious attitude.

Hopefully, everything he had just stated would dissuade them from pursuing any risky misconducts since he didn’t need any more hurdles.

But to continue making sure anyone won’t be a nuisance, Goro still needed to manipulate the group into believing he had pure intentions, which is the reason why Goro needed to sell his role believably. If that meant that Goro needed to act on their side, then he was willing to do just that.

There was only room for deception and trickery in his agenda.

“I’ll be the one to save Akira,” Goro stated with a determined look, which garnered responses of surprise from everyone. “I can sneak into the police building and get him out in secret. Hearing that so suddenly may surprise you, but there’s no other way. Trust me and let me handle it.”

Then, the moment Goro was inside the room where Akira was held, he was going to deal with their leader once and for all.

The Phantom Thieves may be persistent in their aim for a better society, but it was impossible to even consider a world where life wasn’t a fixed game. Their search for true justice was only a joke.

With their leader gone, their will to change the world will be snuffed, and Goro doubt they would have it in them to advance any further without their leader, not when they always looked up to him for guidance.

Once his death arises, Goro’s goals will ensue in full speed, without a single threat to it. He’ll be able to come nearer to Shido as an ally without the politician ever suspecting him of any ill ambitions. Then, his fame will also be peaking in society.

Goro carefully studied each person, secretly amused at the misery etched on their faces.

It was only right for them to suffer at the thought of being able to do nothing as their friend was interrogated by the police, helpless as their leader was most likely beaten for intel. As enemies of civilization, it should made sense that they feel hopeless.

For so long, Goro had been helpless to accomplish anything, not able to abide to his ambitions, until he was granted the power to make a difference in life. Now, everything was in the palm of his hand.

“I promise I can do this,” Goro declared confidently, before turning back to the group with his practiced smile. “Wait for the good news.”

As he walked out of Leblanc, he didn’t sense the suspicious stares directed at his backside, nor did he feel the animosity stabbing into him.

 

 

 

The instant Goro entered the underground quarters, it was as if an abundance of emotions had smacked him mercilessly. It was baffling how deep his uncertainty ran. A while ago, when he was alone with Akira’s friends, the weight of his future actions hadn’t affected him yet.

Goro had been as steady as a rock, not allowing any ounce of vulnerability seep through his hard shell.

“Why now?” Goro muttered quietly to himself, frustrated at the apprehension running through him. It was almost like he was _afraid,_ which was just a preposterous thought. After all, he had been so confident earlier. He had been certain he could eradicate his enemy without a single doubt.

But now, it was as if all his emotions had broken through the barrier he had put up, almost as if indicating to him that he didn’t deserve to pull the trigger without feeling terrible about the cruel act.

Clenching his jaw, Goro shook his head, attempting to snap himself out of his idiocy, before schooling his features into a composed look. Even if he couldn’t block his weak feelings from tainting his thoughts, he could at least physically look as if he was poised and calm.

On his way to the underground room, he encountered Sae, who appeared shocked to find him there. It was a look he had expected to see. After all, it must’ve been difficult for her to have even gained the opportunity to interrogate the culprit but for someone like Goro, who had connections, it was fairly simple for him to gain access inside.

When Sae pulled out a familiar phone, asking him if he had ever seen the device before, Goro looked at it curiously. She only held it out for him to observe for a quick moment and when Goro had reached out for it, she had tucked it into her pocket, refusing to let him touch it.

“No, I’ll look into it myself. It’s one of the rare pieces of evidence,” Sae had stated, watching him cautiously.

With a miffed smile, Goro pressed the button to the elevator and entered it alone. “That so? Well, it’s my turn to question him now, so…”

Once the elevator door closed, Goro’s face veered back into the blank look from earlier, as he attempted to accumulate all the hated he held for Akira. From the teen’s cocky front to the way he always had an opposing stance from Goro’s, there was not a single thing that Goro didn’t despise about the teen.

There might also have been an underscore of jealousy for the friends Akira constantly had surrounding him, something that Goro could never confess he desired.

Then, there was the way Akira had never seemed to care about how people thought of him, always disregarding the looks of contempt towards him.

It would be nice for Goro to live in a world where the society's thoughts of him didn’t matter to him, but he couldn’t. Whenever the public decided to sing their praises towards him, Goro always felt elated, thrilled to have such positive opinions directed towards him.

But when his popularity started to go downhill, he was peeved, saddened that everyone didn’t seem to need him anymore.

 _‘We’re both heroes,’_ Akira had declared confidently, smiling assuredly at him. Disbelief, as well as a hint of doubt, had arisen in him. Akira’s words had made him speculate if it was possible for there to be more than one hero.

But the notion was bullshit.

That had been the conclusion he had approached or so Goro had thought. Even now, he wasn’t certain if it was necessarily wrong for him to believe in Akira’s idea that the two of them could be heroes, that they could both be the protagonist.

When Goro finally reached the interrogation room, where the guard is stationed in front of the door, he almost hesitated.

His mind flashed back to the previous night, where he had been alone with Akira in the attic. For a moment, he had felt cherished, almost loved by the wavy-haired teen. He had felt warm, knowing that he was someone that Akira had held dearly to him, at least for that significant occasion between the two of them.

 _‘Come back,’_ Akira had told him sincerely and for the first time in his life, he had felt wanted.

The mass approval he usually gained from the public was only after he had put on a facade but last night in front of Akira, it was the closest he’d ever been to his authentic self. It made Goro wonder if he’ll ever feel such warmth again.

Goro shook his head, gritting his teeth. He needed to remind himself what all of this was for. His goal in life ever since he had found his mother’s cold body on the kitchen floor.

His revenge against the very person who was responsible for the death of his mother. He needed to remember his mother and recall her loving hugs, warm words, and doting smiles. Goro couldn’t afford to falter here, not when he could almost taste his victory.

So, with a poised smile, Goro asked the guard, “May I ask that you accompany me? I’m unarmed and he’s a murderer…”

The second he entered the interrogation room, Goro’s body went straight to action, not allowing another vulnerable thought to give him another reason for him to doubt his plans. Goro lunged towards the guard, taking the gun from the man’s holster, before jamming the silencer onto the muzzle.

Then, he aimed it towards the guard.

“Sorry it took me so long. I’m here to rescue you,” Goro said, feigning a smile.

His eyes scanned over Akira, taking note of the bruises scattered across his face. Deep within Goro, there was a tiny flame of anger burning inside of him at the sight, but without another thought, he compressed the aggravation he felt over the blemishes.

After all, it wouldn’t matter in the end. Maybe in some other timeline, Goro could have been Akira’s prince in shining armor but in this reality, he was a noble knight, one that fought for the public’s best interest.

Allowing his face to switch into a deadpan look, Goro narrowed his eyes, before coldly saying, “Is that what you thought I’d say?”

Then, without another word, Goro shot the guard, impassively watching blood pool around the body. This wasn’t anything he was unaccustomed to. For Shido’s best interests, he had killed many people without a second thought.

However, it must’ve been a sight Akira wasn’t used to since cloudy-gray eyes widened in shock for a brief second, before settling back into a blank expression. Goro could tell that Akira was finally starting to understand what was happening.  

“Have you finally pieced it all together?” Goro murmured, watching Akira’s face closely. There wasn’t a hint of emotion escaping through the teen’s straight face, which piqued Goro.

Since he first proposed his plan to Shido, Goro had been dreaming of this particular occasion numerous times. Each time he slept, he had conceived a different scenario.

The first time, he had dreamt that Akira had expressed deep fear at the concept of dying. He had ended up dropping to his knees, clutching at Goro’s legs in a panic, imploring to the detective to spare him.

The second time, Akira had expressed intense fury at the detective, cursing him with a string of profanity, before Goro shot him in the head to shut him up. The look of rage from his dream had haunted Goro the next day, causing him to flinch whenever the leader had shouted out commands in Sae’s palace.

The third time, there was only grief on Akira’s face once he had learned Goro had betrayed him. The tears that had rolled down the leader’s face had guilt clawing at his chest and in hopes of diminishing his bad conscience, he had discharged his bullet into Akira.

Then last night, after he had left Akira after their intimate session, Goro had one final dream, one that unnerved him the most.

In his dream, once he had planted that bullet into Akira, the teen fell back from the brunt force of the shot. He had walked behind the table, intending to sneer down at Akira’s body. However, instead of finding the thief’s corpse, it was his mother’s deceased form. The blood that had encircled her was painting the same canvas from the day of her death.

At the realization, Goro had stared down at his hands that were shaking hard, horror overcoming him, as he became aware that he was the reason for _their_ death.

He had woken up in his bed, body trembling in cold sweat, as questions arose in his mind.

Was what he was doing even close to justice? How was he any better than Shido if he was the cause of his loved ones’ death?

He must’ve realized it a long time ago that everything he was doing in the name of justice was only a silly excuse to pursue his own selfish desires.

But even now, Goro wasn’t certain if he could turn back. After all the shit he had pulled, he already dug himself a deep grave. No one would forgive him, not after he had willingly betrayed all his teammates.

Should he be relieved that there wasn’t a sign of emotion on Akira’s face as he jammed the gun into the leader’s forehead?

Pretending not to feel the tremor of his hands or the fear causing his heart to pound heavily, he allowed a smirk to develop on his face. Goro was finally slipping his mask off, allowing a fragment of his true personality to shine through.

It didn’t matter anymore if Akira saw his ugly character. The frightful, appalling personality that was freely out in the open was _all_ him, not the princely mask Goro hid behind to be accepted by society’s norms.

“Case closed… This is how your “justice” ends,” Goro grinned cruelly, as he pulled the trigger.

Vivid red blood poured down from Akira’s forehead, flowing excessively like a river’s stream, as owlish gray eyes turned into a hollow, lifeless stare. With a deafening thud, Akira’s body collapsed forward, his head crashing against the table, as blood sprayed everywhere from the solid collision.

Removing the silencer from the gun, Goro deliberately placed the gun into Akira’s hand, making it appear as if he had shot himself. Certain that the smirk on his face appeared deranged, Goro scoffed viciously, “Attic trash.”

The weight of his actions didn’t fully hit him until he had walked out of the room.  As he trekked down the corridors, the image of Akira immediately popped up in his head. The way Akira had stared blankly into space, his _dead_ eyes wide open for Goro to see, instantly reminded him of his mother as she had laid limply on the kitchen floor.

Would his mother be proud of him if she saw how he was now?

Goro choked down a nauseated gag and replaced it with a distraught chuckle. He couldn’t lose his composure, not over some villainous piece of shit. Despite his occasional qualms, Goro had repeatedly reassured himself that this was completely fine.

This was all necessary.

Even though it finally struck him that Akira was no longer a part of this world and it was all because of Goro. The sharp pang of sadness was abrupt, almost crippling him as he continued down the hallway.

Goro thought he would’ve been more delighted, considering the fact that he was one step closer to his goal. He actually had a chance of growing closer to Shido, as well as gain the approval of the masses.

But instead, regret inscribed itself deep into Goro’s skin, like an old, permanent tattoo that couldn’t be removed. He thought all his worries and doubts would vanish away the moment he had killed Akira but instead the teen's death wouldn't stop haunting him.

“How silly,” Goro said with a distraught chuckle, as he wiped away the stray tear that had slipped down his face, staring at his finger oddly.

There was no time for tears.

After all, he was society’s hero.  

**Author's Note:**

> hopefully, everyone enjoyed this one-shot! 
> 
> This one-shot idea popped in my head after the last episode of the anime and after going through my second run through of the game so it's been a few weeks of planning/writing this messy story. I really love writing Akechi so I wanted to add some of my headcanons and some depth to his character so hopefully everyone enjoyed?
> 
> Also, I might have an idea for a sequel possibly? I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts/comments on this and if you're interested in a sequel. Thanks for reading everyone!


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